The invention relates to a connection assembly providing multiple port connections.
Known connector assemblies exist having multiple receptacle connectors in a common housing, which provide a compact arrangement of such receptacle connectors. Such a connector assembly is useful to provide multiple connection ports. Accordingly, such a connector assembly is referred to as a multiple port connector assembly. In preferred arrays, the housing has jacks one above the other, forming a plurality of arrays in stacked arrangement, so-called xe2x80x9cstacked jackxe2x80x9d arrangements. The receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, each have electrical terminals arranged in a terminal array, and have plug receiving cavities. Specifically, the receptacle connectors are in the form of RJ-45 type modular jacks that establish mating connections with corresponding RJ-45 modular plugs.
For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,612, a connector assembly has two rows of receptacle connectors, that is, modular jacks, arranged side-by-side in an upper row and side-by-side in a lower row in a common housing, which advantageously doubles the number of receptacle connectors without having to increase the length of the housing. The receptacle connectors have plug receiving sections with plug receiving cavities that are profiled to surround modular plugs that are to be inserted in the cavities. The modular plugs have resilient latches, which engage with latching sections on the modular jacks. The latches are capable of being grasped by hand, and being resiliently bent inwardly toward the plugs to release them from engagement with the latching sections on the modular jacks.
One application for such connector assemblies is in the field of telephony, wherein the modular jacks provide ports for connection with a telephone switching network of a telephone service provider, such as a regional telephone company or national telephone company. The corresponding RJ-45 modular plugs terminate opposite ends of telephone cords leading to wall-mounted telephone outlets inside a building. The telephone outlets connect to telephone lines outside of the building, which, in turn, connect to the telephone switching network of the telephone service provider.
Alternatively, such connection systems have found utility in office computer networks, where desktops are interconnected to office servers by way of sophisticated cabling. Such networks have a variety of data transmission mediums including coaxial cable, fiber optic cable and telephone cable. One such network topography is known as the Ethernet network, which is subject to various electrical standards, such as IEEE 802.3 and others. Such networks have the requirement to provide a high number of distributed connections, yet optimally requires little space in which to accommodate the connections.
Furthermore, such networks now operate at speeds of 1 gigabit and higher which requires significant conditioning to the signals. For instance, it is common to require shielding for controlling electromagnetic radiation per FCC standards, while at the same time controlling electromagnetic interference (EMI) within the assembly, between adjacent connections. It is therefore also a requirement to provide such components within the assembly as magnetic coils, inductors, chip capacitors, and the like, to condition the signals. While the technology exists for conditioning the signals, no connection devices exist which are capable of handling such speeds, while at the same time package the signal conditioning components required to maintain these speeds.
Another design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,911 to Boutros et al., which discloses a modular jack assembly having multiple ports for connection to multiple modular jacks. While this assembly further discloses having packaged magnetic assemblies, or other components, this design, as in other attempts to signal condition connection devices, simply adds the components to known connection devices. Therefore, the volume within the assembly is inadequate to provide the proper signal conditioning devices for the high speeds now required.
Furthermore, in order to ensure that a proper connection has been made and therefore a link is created between the electrical communication devices, indicators are often incorporated into circuits on the printed circuit board. These indicators are typically light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are turned on when a circuit is completed between the mating connectors and the communication devices. Additionally LEDs can be mounted on the printed circuit board to indicate a number of other conditions including the passage of communication signals between the two communication devices, indication of power, or indication that an error in transmitting the signals has occurred.
In an effort to miniaturize printed circuit boards and save board real estate, LED indicators have been integrated into these connectors. An example of such a connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,317 to Pocrass which teaches a connector for receiving a plug having a visual indicator positioned within the front wall of the electrical connector housing. Incorporation of the indicator into the electrical connector eliminates the need for a separate location on the printed circuit board for mounting of such an indicator. The LED indicator is inserted into a recess of the electrical connector such that its electrical leads pass through the recess and connect to the printed circuit board. The indicator is then cemented into the recess or attached using an appropriate adhesive. The LEDs may also be molded into the electrical connector during the molding process of the housing. However, this device of Pocrass is shown for only a single cavity housing, and it is not readily ascertainable how it might be reconfigured for a multi-port or a stacked jack configuration.
The objects of the inventions are therefore to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
The objects have been accomplished by providing an electrical connector assembly having a plurality of rows of jacks for mating with a plurality of electrical plugs. The connector comprises an insulating housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, an intermediate wall forming an upper and lower row, and a plurality of modular openings formed in the upper and lower row. A transverse slot extends between the top and bottom wall, intermediate adjacent side by side modular openings. A plurality of contact modules are positioned within the modular openings forming a plurality of electrical connector interfaces. An LED module is positioned within the transverse slot, and the LED module has a housing insulatively encapsulating a plurality of electrical leads, the leads having connecting portions adjacent the top wall and contact portions adjacent the bottom wall. A plurality of LEDs are positioned adjacent to the top wall, and are electrically interconnected to the electrical leads in the LED module, for monitoring the upper row of modular openings.
The bottom wall further includes a plurality of LEDs for monitoring the lower row of modular openings. The LED module contacts are printed circuit board contacts and extend beyond the bottom wall. The LEDs mounted at the bottom wall include printed circuit board contacts extending beyond the bottom wall. The plurality of LED printed circuit board contacts are adapted to receive signals from the module contacts for monitoring the operability of the connector interfaces.
The insulating housing includes a front mating face and a rear face, and the modular openings are defined by side walls, extending from a position adjacent the front mating face rearwardly, partially towards the rear face. The transverse slots are aligned with the side walls, and flank the modular openings adjacent the rear face. The contact modules are partially defined by terminal lead frames defining modular jacks, the lead frames defining forward contacts adjacent the mating face and rearwardly extending printed circuit board contacts adjacent the rear face. The contact modules further comprise magnetic coils attached to rearwardly extending printed circuit board contacts. The contact modules further include shielding at least partially surrounding each of the modules. The assembly further comprises an insulative housing cover, positioned around the shielding, the insulative housing covers, and the LED modules, being cooperatively profiled for polarized fit.
An electrical connector assembly having a plurality of rows of jacks for mating with a plurality of electrical plugs, the connector comprising an insulating housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, a front mating face and a rear face. An intermediate wall forms an upper and lower row, and a plurality of modular openings are formed in the upper and lower row. Modular openings are defined by side walls, extending from a position adjacent the front mating face rearwardly, partially towards the rear face. A plurality of contact modules are positioned within the modular openings and form a plurality of electrical connector interfaces. At least one LED module is positioned in alignment with the side walls, where the LED module has a housing insulatively encapsulating a plurality of electrical leads, the leads having connecting portions adjacent the top wall and contact portions adjacent the bottom wall. A plurality of LEDs are positioned adjacent to the top wall, and are electrically interconnected to the electrical leads in the LED module, for monitoring the upper row of modular openings.
The bottom wall includes a plurality of LEDs for monitoring the lower row of modular openings. The LED module contacts are printed circuit board contacts and extend beyond the bottom wall. The LEDs mounted at the bottom wall include printed circuit board contacts extending beyond the bottom wall. The plurality of LED printed circuit board contacts are adapted to receive signals from the module contacts for monitoring the operability of the connector interfaces.
Transverse slots are aligned with the side walls, and flank the modular openings adjacent the rear face. The contact modules are partially defined by terminal lead frames defining modular jacks, the lead frames defining forward contacts adjacent the mating face and rearwardly extending printed circuit board contacts adjacent the rear face. The contact modules further comprise magnetic coils attached to rearwardly extending printed circuit board contacts. The contact modules further include shielding at least partially surrounding each of the modules, and an insulative housing cover, positioned around the shielding, the insulative housing covers, and the LED modules, being cooperatively profiled for polarized fit.